News Releases

EPA: Lake and Porter counties now meet ozone standard

(CHICAGO - March 15, 2010) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 plans to approve a request from the state of Indiana to redesignate Lake and Porter counties to attainment of the national health-based eight-hour outdoor standard for ozone. Ground-based ozone is commonly referred to as smog.

EPA said four years of complete, quality-assured, outdoor air monitoring data for 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 show that the area meets the standard.

EPA also proposes to approve Indiana's plan to continue to meet the eight-hour health-based ozone standard through 2020 and to approve motor vehicle emission budgets for Lake and Porter counties.

The actions were published Friday, March 12, in the Federal Register. The public has 30 days to comment. Comments may be entered at www.regulations.gov. Refer to docket ID No. EPA-R05-OAR-2009-0512 and follow online instructions for submitting comments. Comments may also be e-mailed to bortzer.jay@epa.gov or faxed to 312-692-2054.

In a related final rulemaking, also published March 12, EPA determined that the Chicago-Gary-Lake County, Illinois-Indiana area now meets the 8-hour ozone standard and is approving a request from the state of Indiana for a waiver from Clean Air Act requirements for nitrogen oxides Reasonably Available Control Technology regulations in Lake and Porter counties.

Smog is formed when a mixture of pollutants react on warm, sunny days. The pollutants are released from cars, factories and a wide variety of other sources. Smog can cause respiratory problems, including coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and chest pain.